Tag Archives: vatican

BISHOPS don’t discern God’s will by lording over his flock, but only by listening and participating in the lives of those entrusted to his care, Pope Francis has told 120 new bishops including four Australians. Speaking at the end of the annual training school for bishops, commonly known as the “baby bishops school”, Pope Francis reminded the bishops to “cultivate ... Read More »

BRISBANE will host a public seminar by one of the Church’s front-line fighters against child sexual abuse, German Jesuit Father Hans Zollner. With a reputation as a reformer, Pope Francis named Fr Zollner, together with Irish child abuse survivor Marie Collins as founding members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in 2014. Fr Zollner is president of ... Read More »

POPE Pius IX looked down on a young Aboriginal boy from Western Australia and declared that he would be his country’s next Francis Xavier. Conaci, an indigenous name that means “black cockatoo”, was seven years old when he was sent to study in Rome, with the hope of returning to evangelise his country. The young boy left Australia in 1849 ... Read More »

The Catholic Leader journalist Mark Bowling reflects on his memory of John Paul II’s visit to Darwin on November 29, 1986 when he was working on a radio news story of the papal visit. THIS month marks 30 years since Pope John Paul II visited Australia. In six-and-a-half days, from November 24-December 1, the 66-year-old pontiff visited every state and territory, ... Read More »

NEW instructions on the cremation of Catholics outlining an end to scattering ashes or keeping them in domestic residences are “not new information” to a Brisbane cemetery manager. David Molloy has been the manager of Nudgee Cemetery since 2003, 40 years after the Holy See approved cremation as an option for conserving the remains of the dead. He said as ... Read More »

QUEENSLAND members of a Catholic women’s organisation have pledged financial support to refuge shelters caring for homeless mothers and children across the state. The canonically approved Catholic Women’s League of Queensland announced at its recent state conference its three member dioceses would raise funds for a local refuge supporting homeless mothers and children. Queensland state president Veronica Box expected members ... Read More »

NIGERIAN priest Fr Anthony Ekpo, who was sent to serve the Brisbane archdiocese in a life-changing agreement ten years ago, has been called to work alongside Pope Francis in Vatican City. Fr Anthony Ekpo, who was 25 when he arrived in Brisbane on February 9, 2007, has been appointed to work in the General Affairs English section of the Secretaries ... Read More »

QUEENSLAND Catholic education leaders have returned from Rome with a personal call from Pope Francis etched in their minds and hearts. The Pope inspired the educators at a world congress on Catholic education, Educating Today and Tomorrow – A renewing passion, held in Rome from November 18-21. Queensland Catholic Education Commission executive director Dr Lee-Anne Perry was among about 1000 delegates ... Read More »

BISHOPS meeting to discuss issues concerning families worldwide need to explore the “vast middle ground” between keeping faithful to Church doctrine or doing nothing, Archbishop Coleridge has said in an interview with National Catholic Reporter. As one of two Australian bishops at the synod, Archbishop Coleridge spent 45 minutes with an NCR journalist to discuss his comparisons between the synod on ... Read More »